Unified smog pump and alternator

ABSTRACT

The unit is employed with a combustible fuel driven engine, and comprises a casing defining a chamber having an operatively driven shaft rotatably mounted therein, and a rotary electric winding and a pump rotor fixed end to end of one another on the shaft in the chamber. The rotor and the winding are closed to one another, at one end portion thereof, within a circle centered about the shaft, and there are means about the circle in the chamber, forming a rotary seal with the one end portion, so that the portion of the chamber occupied by the rotor is segregated from that occupied by the winding, in a fluid-tight manner. There are also means cooperating with the rotor to intake and discharge air to the exhaust system of the engine, from the portion of the chamber occupied by the rotor during the rotation of the shaft, and means cooperating with the winding to generate an electric current flow to the engine ignition system, during the intake and discharge of the air from the chamber.

United States Patent 1191 Bowdish 1451 Mar. 19, 1974 1 UNIFIED SMOG PUMP AND ALTERNATOR Meredith E. Bowdish, PO. Box 201 1, Anchorage, Alaska [22] Filed: June 2, 1972 21 App1.No.:259,142

[76] Inventor:

52 US. Cl. 60/307, 290/1 B, 310/62, 417/371, 417/410 511 Int. Cl FOln 3/10, H021: 9/06 [58] Field of Search 60/307; 417/371, 423, 410, 417/411; 310/60, 62, 63; 290/1 R, 1 B

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,082,597 3/1963 Hamblin 60/307 3.101.700 8/1963 Bowdish 123/847 3.517.504 6/1970 Sakamoto.. 60/307 3,572,982 3/1971 Kozdon 417/423 R 3,628,328 12/1971 Matsuzawa 60/307 3,694,661 9/1972 Minowa .1 290/1 R Primary ExaminerDouglas Hart Attorney, Agent, or FirmChristensen, OConnor, Garrison & Havelka 5'7 ABSTRACT The unit is employed with a combustible fuel driven engine, and comprises a casing defining a chamber having an operatively driven shaft rotatably mounted therein, and a rotary electric winding and a pump rotor fixed end to end of one another on the shaft in the chamber. The rotor and the winding are closed to one another, at one end portion thereof, within a circle centered about the shaft, and there are means about the circle in the chamber, forming a rotary seal with the one end portion, so that the portion of the chamber occupied by the rotor is segregated from that 13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures UNIFIED SMOG PUMP AND ALTERNATOR FIELD OF THE INVENTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION INCLUDING CERTAIN OBJECTS THEREOF Engines of this nature are now equipped with socalled smog pumps which operate to infuse the exhaust system of the engine with air, for example, to dilute the exhaust or to achieve an afterburner effect in the same. The aim is to achieve in turn, an exhaust with improved emission characteristics, and in particular characteristics which are capable of meeting the new federal standards in this regard.

One object of the present invention is to provide a smog pump which can be readily integrated into a modern day combustible fuel engine system without increasing the space requirements for the overall system, and without appreciably increasing the number of parts and components in the system over and above what were previously already necessary to satisfy the other functions of the system. In particular, it is an object of the invention to avoid the necessity for a separate smog pump; that is, the necessity for an additional rotary device over and above the number of rotary devices already commonly found in such engines. A further object is to provide a means and technique whereby one of these presently employed rotary devices, i.e., the alternator of the engine ignition system, can be modified to also serve the smog pump function without appreciably increasing the space and parts requirements of the alternator itself. Still another object is to provide a unified rotary device of this nature which is capable of operating at the speeds characteristic of modern day alternators, such as at speeds of up to about 15,000 rpm. A still further object is to provide a unified device of this nature in which there are no relatively reciprocable parts, and no components which alternately accelerate and decelerate, so that the smog pump function has little or no effect on the alternator function, and vice versa. Other objects include the provision of a devie of this nature wherein the smog pump also operates to achieve a cooling effect with respect to the alternator, and even at low operating speeds, preferably because of a positive displacement feature of the pump itself. Still further objects will become apparent from the description of the invention which follows hereafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These objects and advantages are realized by a rotary device of my invention comprising a casing defining a chamber having an operatively driven shaft rotatably mounted therein, and a rotary electric winding and a pump rotor fixed end-to-end of one another, and preferably abutting one another, on the shaft in the chamber. The rotor and the winding are closed to one an other, at one end portion thereof, within a circle centered about the shaft, and there are means about the circle in the chamber, preferably on the casing, forming a rotary seal with the one end portion, and preferably with the end portion of the rotor, so that the portion of the chamber occupied by the rotor is segregated from that occupied by the winding, in a fluid-tight manner. There are also means cooperating with the rotor to intake and discharge a fluid to and from the portion occupied thereby, during the rotation of the shaft, and means cooperating with the winding to generate an electric current flow during the intake and discharge of the fluid from the chamber.

Preferably, the shaft extends toward one end of the chamber in the lengthwise sense thereof, but terminates short of this one end, and the one end has an embossment thereon which projects into the chamber, the pump rotor being fixed on the terminal end portion of the shaft to form a pump head thereon, and the head being telescoped about the embossment with a bearing interposed therebetween, to locate the shaft in the chamber. Practically speaking, moreover, it is preferred to telescope the rotor itself about the embossment, with the bearing interposed therebetween.

To achieve the pump effect, the intake and discharge means of the pump normally include a second rotor which is rotatably mounted in the chamber, to rotate in conjunction with the first-mentioned rotor, on an axis which is nonaligned with the axis of the shaft. Moreover, the two rotors are cooperatively engaged to be conjointly driven by the shaft; and preferably, the embossment comprises a pintle-like arbor having an axlelike extension thereon, which is canted to, or eccentric of the main spindle of the arbor, and which has the first-mentioned rotor telescoped thereon, whereas the second rotor is rotatably journaled on the spindle.

Because it has no reciprocating parts, and no components which alternately accelerate and decelerate, the rotary pump device disclosed in my U.S. Pat No. 3,101,700 is particularly advantageous in conjunction with the alternator components on a common shaft,

driven at alternator speeds.

Whether such a pump is employed, or some other pump with a pair of cooperatively engaged rotors that are driven by a common shaft, such as a sliding vane pump, it is also possible to achieve a cooling effect on the alternator side of the unit by intaking theair for the pump through that portion of the casing occupied by the winding. This also has the effect of preheating the pump discharge, say, where the discharge is employed for an afterburner efi'ect in the engine exhaust system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These features will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate several of these presently preferred embodiments.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a part cutaway perspective view of one unit;

FIG. 2 is a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view of this unit;

FIG. 3 is a part vertical, longitudinal cross-sectional view of a second unit;

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the second unit along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. is a schematic view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating the adaptation of the unit to the alternator cooling function; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of an overall engine system employing one of the above units.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the operating components of the unit are housed within a two-part casing 2, the parts 2 and 2" of which are flanged and bolted together to form an essentially cylindrical chamber 4 therewithin. The chamber 4 is oriented about a horizontal axis, and is adapted to accommodate the stationary and rotary windings 6 and 8, respectively, of a conventional alternator, as well as the conjointly rotatable, closed end, vaned and recessed rotors 10 and 12, respectively, of a rotary pump of the type described in my foregoing patent. The recessed rotor 12 and the rotary winding 8 of the alternator, are supported on a stepped shaft 14 which is rotatably mounted on the axis of the chamber, in the bowlshaped, two-section-ed, right-hand end portion 2 of the casing; whereas the vaned rotor 10 is supported on a pintle-like arbor 16 projecting inwardly of the chamber from the truncated part spheroidal left-hand end portion 2 of the casing. The stationary winding 6 of the alternator is secured to the inside wall of the chamber 4 about the rotary winding, and accompanied by an annular core 18 which is sandwiched between the plain cylindrical intermediate section 20 and the radially finned, open-ended, bowl-shaped end section 22 of the right-hand end portion 2' of the casing.

Referring now to details of the unit, it will be seen that the narrower diameter portion 14 of the shaft is received in the right-hand end of the casing, and is rotatably journaled in a socketed embossment 24 having a bll bearing sleeve 26 in the socket 28 thereof, which surrounds the shaft and is abutted against the step 29 thereof to locate the shaft against radial and axial thrust at this end of the casing. The greater diameter portion 14" of the shaft is disposed in the chamber, but is terminated at a point short of the left-hand end portion 2" of the casing, and is located against thrust at that end by the manner in which the recessed rotor 12 of the pump is mounted and otherwise supported in conjunction therewith. As seen, the rotor 12 has an axially aligned bore 30 extending through the hub portion 32 thereof, and the bore is counterbored from the rear to provide a stepped, larger diameter countersink 34 on the left-hand face thereof. Moreover, while the main spindle 36 of the arbor 16 extends into the chamber at an obtuse angle to the shaft, the spindle has a cylindrical extension 38 on the end thereof, which is canted into alignment with the shaft and of such a length as to telescope within the countersink 34 of the bore. Thus, the shaft is keyedto the rotor 12 in the bore 30, but short of the countersink-34, and is located at the left-- hand end of the chamber by rotatably journaling the rotor 12 on the cylindrical extension 38 of the arbor, with a ball bearing sleeve 40 interposed therebetween in the countersink of the rotor.

The vaned rotor 10 of the pump is journaled about the spindle of the arbor, and for this purpose has a nipple-like embossment 42 on the back face thereof, which telescopes within a reversedly disposed, socketed embossment 44 on the left-hand end portion 2" of 4 the casing, there again being a ball bearing sleeve 46 interposed between the relatively rotatable components.

The alternator components 6, 8 and 18 are interposed about the shaft to the right of the recessed rotor 12, and in order to segregate the pump from the alternator, the intermediate section 20 of the casing is interiorly surfaced to provide a truncated, part spheroidal rib 48 therewithin, which complements the part spheroidal recess 50 in the left-hand end portion 2" of the casing, and forms a rotary seal with the pump rotors about the periphery thereof. Moreover, to minimize the length of the chamber, and for compactness, the alternator components are located in the chamber so that the housing 52 of the rotary winding 8 is abutted with the hub 32 of the recessed rotor of the pump. The housing 52 itself is conventional in that it includes a pair of disc-shaped end plates 54 having interdigitating fingers 56 thereon, which surround the periphery of the winding 8.

The shaft is driven by a belt and pulley drive mechanism 58 on the outside end thereof, and in operation, drives both the rotary winding and the pump rotors at a common speed, with the effect that a current flow is generated by the alternator in conventional fashion,

and a fluid is intaken and discharged by the pump through porting 60 and 62 on the left-hand end of the unit, as in the case of the basic pump unit described in my patent.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the slotted, closed end rotor 64 of a sliding vane pump 66 is keyed to the inside of the shaft 14, coaxial with the chamber 4, and is rotatably journaled about a fixed cylindrical arbor 68 projecting coaxially inwardly from the righthand end of the casing 70 of the unit, with a roller bearing 72 thereabout. The sliding vane mechanism 74-v of the pump is journaled on an axle 76 which is stubbed out from the interior end of the arbor 68, at a point eccentric to the axis of the arbor. Moreover, the casing 70 is equipped with an annular rib 78 which forms a rotary seal with the left-hand end of the rotor 64, to segregate the pump from the alternator, as in the case of the first-described unit.

In FIG. 5, the unit of FIGS 1 and 2 is adapted to provide an overflow of cooling air for the alternator. The radially finned, open-ended, bowl-shaped end section 22 of the casing has a port 80 therein which is interconnected with the intake port 60 of the pump, either by means of a closed hose connection or a tee hose connection 82, so that the air intaken through the port 60 is drawn at least in part through the right-hand end portion 2 of the casing, from the end openings 84] thereof.

In FIG. 6, it will be seen that the discharge port 62 of the pump, whether it be that in the unit of FIGS. 1, 2 and '5, or that in the unit of FIGS. 3 and 4, is connected with the exhaust system 86 of the engine, for example, at the exhaust manifold downstream of the exhaust valve of the cylinder, to infuse the system 86 with air from the pump and alternator unit 88, which unit also provides a current flow for the ignition system 90 of the engine, from the alternator side thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary device comprising a casing defining a chamber having an operatively driven shaft rotatably mounted therein, and a rotary electric winding and a pump rotor fixed end to end of one another on the shaft in the chamber, the rotor and the winding being closed to one another, at one end portion thereof, within a circle centered about the shaft, and there being means about the circle in the chamber, forming a rotary seal with the one end portion so that the portion of the chamber occupied by the rotor is segregated from that occupied by the winding, in a fluid-tight manner, means cooperating with the rotor to intake and discharge a fluid to and from the portion occupied thereby, during the rotation of the shaft, and means cooperating with the winding to generate an electric current flow during the intake and discharge of the fluid from the chamber, said shaft extending toward one end of the chamber in the lengthwise sense thereof, but terminating short of this one end, and the one end having an embossment thereon which projects into the chamber, the pump rotor being fixed on the terminal end portion of the shaft to form a pump head thereon, and the head being telescoped aboutthe embossment, with a bearing interposed therebetween, to locate the shaft in the chamber.

2. The rotary device according to claim 1 wherein the winding has a housing thereabout and the housing and the rotor abut one another.

3. The rotary device according to claim 1 wherein the one end portion of the rotor is closed to the winding, and the casing has means thereon forming a rotary seal with the one end portion of the rotor, about the circle in the chamber.

4. The rotary device according to claim 1 wherein the intake and discharge means of the pump include a second rotor which is rotatably mounted in the chamber, to rotate in conjunction with the first-mentioned rotor, on an axis which is nonaligned with the axis of the shaft.

5. The rotary device according to claim 4 wherein the firstand second-mentioned rotors are cooperatively engaged to be conjointly driven by the shaft.

6. The rotary device according to claim 5 wherein the embossment comprises a pintle-like arbor having an axle-like extension thereon, which is canted to, or eccentric of the main spindle of the arbor, and which has the first-mentioned rotor telescoped thereon, whereas the second rotor is rotatably journaled on the spindle.

7. The rotary device according to claim 1 wherein the intake and discharge means of the pump is arranged to intake the air for the pump through that portion of the casing occupied by the winding.

8. In a rotary device comprising a casing defining a chamber having an operatively driven shaft rotatably mounted therein, a rotary electric windingand a pump rotor fixed end toend of one another on the shaft in the chamber, and closed to one another, at one end portion thereof, within a circle centered about the shaft, and means about the circle in the chamber, forming a rotary seal with the one end portion, so that the portion of the chamber occupied by the rotor is segregated from that occupied by the winding, in a fluidtight manner, said shaft extending toward one end of the chamber in the lengthwise sense thereof, but terminating short of this one end, and the one end having an embossment thereon which projects into the chamber, the pump rotor being fixed on the terminal end portion of the shaft to form a pump head thereon, and the head being telescoped about the embossment, with a bearing interposed therebetween, to locate the shaft in the chamber.

9. In combination, a combustible fuel driven engine having a system for igniting the fuel therein, and a system for exhausting the gases therefrom, a rotary device comprising a casing defining a chamber having an operatively driven shaft rotatably mounted therein, a rotary electric winding and a pump rotor fixed end to end of one another on the shaft in the chamber, and closed to one another, at one end portion thereof, within a circle centered about the shaft, and means about the circle in the chamber, forming a rotary seal with the one end portion, so that the portion of the chamber occupied by the rotor is segregated from that occupied by the winding, in a fluid-tight manner, means cooperating with the rotorto intake and discharge a fluid to the engine exhaust system, from the portion of the chamber occupied by the rotor, during the rotation of the shaft, and means cooperating with the winding to generate an electric current flow to the engine ignition system, during the intake and discharge of the fluid from the chamber, said shaft extending toward one end of the chamber in the lengthwise sense thereof, but terminating short of this one end, and the one end having an embossment thereon which projects into the chamber, the pump rotor being fixed on the terminal end portion of the shaft to form a pump head thereon, and the head being telescoped about the embossment, with a bearing interposed therebetween, to locate the shaft in the chamber.

10. The rotary device according to claim 1 wherein the axial bore of the rotor is countersunk at one end, and the embossment is telescoped within the countersink, with a bearing interposed therebetween.

11. In a rotary device of the character described, a casing defining a chamber having a pintle-like arbor on one end thereof, which has an axle-like extension thereon which is canted to the main spindle of the arbor, a pair of cooperatively interengaged, conjointly rotatable, vaned and recessed pump rotors, a first of which is rotatably journaled on the extension and the second of which is rotatably journaled on the spindle of the arbor, and an operatively driven shaft which is rotatably mounted in the chamber and fixed to one of the rotors to drive the same, said shaft having a rotary electric winding fixed thereon, end to end of said one of the rotors.

12. In a rotary device comprising a casing defining a chamber having an operatively driven shaft rotatably mounted therein, a rotary electric winding and a pump rotor fixed end to end of one another on the shaft in the chamber, said shaft extending toward one end of the chamber in the lengthwise sense thereof, but terminating short of this one end, and the one end having an embossment thereon which projects into the chamber, the pump rotor being fixed on the terminal end portion of the shaft to form a pump head thereon, and the head being telescoped about the embossment, with a bearing interposed therebetween, to locate the shaft in the chamber.

13. The rotary device according to claim 12 wherein the winding and the rotor are disposed in portions of the chamber which are sealed from one another in a fluid tight manner. 

1. A rotary device comprising a casing defining a chamber having an operatively driven shaft rotatably mounted therein, and a rotary electric winding and a pump rotor fixed end to end of one another on the shaft in the chamber, the rotor and the winding being closed to one another, at one end portion thereof, within a circle centered about the shaft, and there being means about the circle in the chamber, forming a rotary seal with the one end portion so that the portion of the chamber occupied by the rotor is segregated from that occupied by the winding, in a fluid-tight manner, means cooperating with the rotor to intake and discharge a fluid to and from the portion occupied thereby, during the rotation of the shaft, and means cooperating with the winding to generate an electric current flow during the intake and discharge of the fluid from the chamber, said shaft extending toward one end of the chamber in the lengthwise sense thereof, but terminating short of this one end, and the one end having an embossment thereon which projects into the chamber, the pump rotor being fixed on the terminal end portion of the shaft to form a pump head thereon, and the head being telescoped about the embossment, with a bearing interposed therebetween, to locate the shaft in the chamber.
 2. The rotary device according to claim 1 wherein the winding has a hOusing thereabout and the housing and the rotor abut one another.
 3. The rotary device according to claim 1 wherein the one end portion of the rotor is closed to the winding, and the casing has means thereon forming a rotary seal with the one end portion of the rotor, about the circle in the chamber.
 4. The rotary device according to claim 1 wherein the intake and discharge means of the pump include a second rotor which is rotatably mounted in the chamber, to rotate in conjunction with the first-mentioned rotor, on an axis which is nonaligned with the axis of the shaft.
 5. The rotary device according to claim 4 wherein the first- and second-mentioned rotors are cooperatively engaged to be conjointly driven by the shaft.
 6. The rotary device according to claim 5 wherein the embossment comprises a pintle-like arbor having an axle-like extension thereon, which is canted to, or eccentric of the main spindle of the arbor, and which has the first-mentioned rotor telescoped thereon, whereas the second rotor is rotatably journaled on the spindle.
 7. The rotary device according to claim 1 wherein the intake and discharge means of the pump is arranged to intake the air for the pump through that portion of the casing occupied by the winding.
 8. In a rotary device comprising a casing defining a chamber having an operatively driven shaft rotatably mounted therein, a rotary electric winding and a pump rotor fixed end to end of one another on the shaft in the chamber, and closed to one another, at one end portion thereof, within a circle centered about the shaft, and means about the circle in the chamber, forming a rotary seal with the one end portion, so that the portion of the chamber occupied by the rotor is segregated from that occupied by the winding, in a fluid-tight manner, said shaft extending toward one end of the chamber in the lengthwise sense thereof, but terminating short of this one end, and the one end having an embossment thereon which projects into the chamber, the pump rotor being fixed on the terminal end portion of the shaft to form a pump head thereon, and the head being telescoped about the embossment, with a bearing interposed therebetween, to locate the shaft in the chamber.
 9. In combination, a combustible fuel driven engine having a system for igniting the fuel therein, and a system for exhausting the gases therefrom, a rotary device comprising a casing defining a chamber having an operatively driven shaft rotatably mounted therein, a rotary electric winding and a pump rotor fixed end to end of one another on the shaft in the chamber, and closed to one another, at one end portion thereof, within a circle centered about the shaft, and means about the circle in the chamber, forming a rotary seal with the one end portion, so that the portion of the chamber occupied by the rotor is segregated from that occupied by the winding, in a fluid-tight manner, means cooperating with the rotor to intake and discharge a fluid to the engine exhaust system, from the portion of the chamber occupied by the rotor, during the rotation of the shaft, and means cooperating with the winding to generate an electric current flow to the engine ignition system, during the intake and discharge of the fluid from the chamber, said shaft extending toward one end of the chamber in the lengthwise sense thereof, but terminating short of this one end, and the one end having an embossment thereon which projects into the chamber, the pump rotor being fixed on the terminal end portion of the shaft to form a pump head thereon, and the head being telescoped about the embossment, with a bearing interposed therebetween, to locate the shaft in the chamber.
 10. The rotary device according to claim 1 wherein the axial bore of the rotor is countersunk at one end, and the embossment is telescoped within the countersink, with a bearing interposed therebetween.
 11. In a rotary device of the character described, a casing defining a chamber having a pintle-like arbor on one end thereof, whIch has an axle-like extension thereon which is canted to the main spindle of the arbor, a pair of cooperatively interengaged, conjointly rotatable, vaned and recessed pump rotors, a first of which is rotatably journaled on the extension and the second of which is rotatably journaled on the spindle of the arbor, and an operatively driven shaft which is rotatably mounted in the chamber and fixed to one of the rotors to drive the same, said shaft having a rotary electric winding fixed thereon, end to end of said one of the rotors.
 12. In a rotary device comprising a casing defining a chamber having an operatively driven shaft rotatably mounted therein, a rotary electric winding and a pump rotor fixed end to end of one another on the shaft in the chamber, said shaft extending toward one end of the chamber in the lengthwise sense thereof, but terminating short of this one end, and the one end having an embossment thereon which projects into the chamber, the pump rotor being fixed on the terminal end portion of the shaft to form a pump head thereon, and the head being telescoped about the embossment, with a bearing interposed therebetween, to locate the shaft in the chamber.
 13. The rotary device according to claim 12 wherein the winding and the rotor are disposed in portions of the chamber which are sealed from one another in a fluid tight manner. 